The cost inflation index for the financial year 2026-2027 is 384, representing a 2.13% increase. We compile 46 years of cost inflation index data to understand the devastating consequences of inflation and why our singular focus should be on beating inflation for our long term goals. The cost inflation index (CII) is not a measure…

We plan for inflation, longevity, and market crashes. We rarely plan for our own decline. For the last five years, I have spent a significant amount of time thinking about retirement planning. Not just the numbers, but the assumptions underneath them. Like most DIY investors, I started with the obvious questions. How much corpus would…

A reader asks, How should I invest to secure the future of my newborn child? Our investing mantra is process-first, products-last.  We create a financial plan suited to our needs, considering realistic inflation estimates. Then, we consider the necessary risk for the goal, the risk we can emotionally handle and determine an asset allocation (mix of…

A reader recently asked, “Do Bond Markets Crash the Same Way Stocks Do?” We discuss the last time this happened in India. After the 2008 economic crisis, the Federal Reserve (the central bank of the US) started buying long-term government bonds and increased the money supply in the market. This increase in money supply led…

We spend Rs. 80,000 on a phone without losing much sleep over it. We pay a premium for a good school, a good doctor, and a good lawyer. But suggest paying Rs. 15,000 a year to a financial advisor and something shifts. The questions come up: what exactly are you charging for? Can’t I look…

Last month we launched NaviPlan: A Privacy-Focused Multi-asset Tracker and Goal Planner. This tool, developed by Gokul of Naviran Technologies in association with freefincal, can be used to track mutual funds, stocks, and FDs.  The user can tag these to financial goals and track their progress. The tool also provides options to lower risk via…

A reader asks, “All these years, you have taught us how to save and invest. I have saved and invested for the last 8 years, and I am truly scared when I hear about all the new types of scams. How do we safeguard our savings and investments in this era of Cyber scammers and…

Every time I talk about retirement planning – on stage, in interviews, etc.- I hear this line: “If we need a few crores* to retire, then most Indians will fall short”. * Sometimes the target corpus is seven crores, sometimes ten crores, sometimes 13-14 crores, depending on the question I am asked. There is nothing…

Retirement Was Never Supposed to Feel This Urgent. But Here We Are. Our parents had a version of retirement that mostly worked. You joined a company young, stayed long enough, built a provident fund or pension, and retired around 60 with some stability behind you. The system was not glamorous, but it was understandable. You…

Are you worried about whether you can afford that new phone or bike or car? Feeling guilty and tempted at the same time? Here is a simple way to find out affordability & organise finances so that you can responsibly buy stuff you love! Every time I go to a corporate money management session, I…

I was recently asked in an interview to list personal finance milestones in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Since personal finance is deeply personal, listing such milestones may cause anxiety in many who, due to personal circumstances, have had difficulty investing or saving like the rest of us. I liked three questions on a related…

In this article, Somaprasad S H, a senior insurance advisor explains with two real-life examples, how temporary total disablement claims in personal accident insurance work. He sent us this article after reading Buying Accident Insurance Policies in India: Must-know facts. Your article “Buying Accident Insurance Policies in India: Must-Know Facts” is a valuable resource — particularly…

DIY investing sounds wonderfully empowering. No commissions. No advisors pushing products. No relationship manager calling every quarter with a recommendation that mysteriously happens to suit your needs. Just you, your money, and complete control. At least that’s the story we tell ourselves.  The part nobody talks about is how lonely that control can become.  About…

Last month saw the launch of NaviPlan: A Privacy-Focused Multi-asset Tracker and Goal Planner. This tool, developed by Gokul of Naviran Technologies in association with freefincal, can be used to track mutual funds, stocks, and FDs.  The user can tag these to financial goals and track their progress. The tool also provides options to lower…

I was recently asked in an interview, “How can I emotionally handle long periods of poor returns in the equity markets?” – a discussion. Many readers accuse us of scaring them by stating the factually obvious: Long-term equity investment comes with no guarantees of success! So, we discuss how to stay invested in equity without worrying…